A Life Lost
by XxAngelxX911
Summary: Post The Shape Of Things To Come. Starts with my take on the ending at the carnival, but ends more tragic. The Cohen's are about to lose a family member, and they may never recover. Now Completed!
1. Just Like That

Title: A Life Lost

Rating: T

Category: Angst/Tragedy

Feedback: Post The Shape Of Things To Come. Starts with my take on the ending at the carnival, but ends more tragic. The Cohen's are about to lose a family member, and they may never recover.

**Authors Note: As much as I loved Ryan punching the Dean in the end of episode 3.02, I had a little different way of how things would have happened. So, the story starts at the carnival and then everything explodes from their. I used a few quotes from the episode, but most are my own. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks!**

**Chapter 1**

_Just Like That_

"Okay, I'm nauseous again. Ryan iii I'm feeling queasy" Seth yelled down to Ryan who is sitting a few seats ahead of him on the ferris wheel.

"Cohen will you leave them alone, they're having a moment" Summer sighed as she slaped him lightly on the arm

"I just want to warn you incase that dim sum resurfaces, you're kind of in the line of fire" Seth said ignoring Summer's comment. Summer sighs in frustration.

"So, maybe third time's a charm" Ryan smirks as he looks at Marissa.

"Maybe" Marissa smirks "This year has to be better than the last two"

Ryan nods "I hope so"

The ferris wheel comes to a screeching halt. Marissa and Ryan look around startled as their eyes fall on the dean.

"Excuse me Ms. Cooper, what are you doing?" Dean Hess asks

Both Ryan and Marissa get off the ferris wheel and stand in front of the Dean.

"Look Marissa has worked on this carnival every year, she deserves to be here. Besides, she's here as my date. Were not on school grounds" Ryan defended

"Stay out of this Ryan, it's none of your business" Dean Hess declares grabbing a hold of Marissa's arm. "You're leaving now"

"Oww" Marissa cries out "Let me go, I'm leaving okay"

"Hey" Ryan yells angry following the Dean as he pulls Marissa "Get your hands off her"

Dean Hess ignores Ryan and continue to pull Marissa.

"I said let her go" Ryan yells angered as he turns the Dean to face him and punches him in the faces. The Dean goes tumbling to the ground shocked and stands back up while smirking at Ryan. He wipes the bloods from his nose.

"And here I thought I was going to have to work to get you thrown out of this school" Dean Hess snickered "You did it on your own"

Ryan glares at him, reality settling in.

"Get out of here now" Dean Hess orders "If I ever catch you on school property again, I'll call the police"

Ryan looks furious. Suddenly a cell phone is heard ringing through out the silent carnival. Everyone follows the ringing and see's Seth in the ferris wheel answering his cell phone.

"Hello" Seth answers "Mom?"

"Is...is he all right?" Seth asks his throat dry.

"We're coming" Seth says hanging up

"Cohen" Summer ask worredly as everyone stares up at him.

"Bring us down now" Seth orders as the ride starts up and he and Summer get off the ferris wheel.

"It's dad, we got to go" Seth says worredly

Ryan nods "Okay"

"Did I say I was finished?" Dean Hess asked coyly as he grabbed Ryan's arm.

"You told us to leave and that what were doing" Ryan spat

"Listen" Seth said sternly "Our father is in the hospital, we need to go now. If you have a problem with that then take it up with our backs"

Ryan smirked at Seth's sudden outburst. Seth turned and started to leave with Ryan, Marissa and Summer following close behind.

"You better watch your mouth young man or I'll kick you out too" Dean Hess threatened

Summer turned to him and scoffed "Go ahead throw us out, but don't come crying when your fired because our parents slapped Harbor with the biggest law suit they've ever seen"  
Summer then turned from a speechless Dean Hess and followed her boyfriend.

Dean Hess and the rest of the school stared after them as they exited.

"Everybody go back to your business" Dean Hess ordered as he fumed 'kids these days had no respect'

"Mom" Seth called as he entered the hospital with Summer close behind.

"Hey" Kirsten paused "I thought you said Ryan was with you"

"Yeah, he is" Seth answered "He's parking the car"

Kirsten nodded as Ryan and Marissa approached the three standing in the middle of the waiting room.

"What happening?" Ryan asked once he reached Kirsten, Seth, and Summer.

"He's in surgery right now" Kirsten sighed "They haven't really told me anything yet"

"What happened?" Seth asked

"A knife fight went a little too far" Kirsten whispered

"Dad...A knife fight" Seth asked in shock

"Yeah" Kirsten paused "Julie's nephew Tony, from Riverside was in an incident involving a robbery and Julie asked for your dad to help. So, he went to juvie and from there all I know is what the EMT told me. He was stabbed in the middle of a knife fight"

"Mrs. Cohen" Dr. Andrews asked appearing from the emergency room.

"We need to talk" he told her quietly "In private" he motioned to the four teenagers standing behind them

"It's okay doctor, these are my sons and their girlfriends" Kirsten explained

Dr. Andrews nodded "I'm sorry"

Kirsten now knew what was coming. She heard a loud sob let out behind her and turned to see Seth collapsing into Summer's arms. Ryan looked far away. She looked back at the doctor, tears sliding down her cheeks.

"He was stabbed three times and the knife hit major arteries. We just weren't able to repair the damage. It wasn't repairable Mrs. Cohen, believe me we tried" Dr. Andrews told her "We did everything we could, but we lost him"

There it was. Sandy was gone. She turned to see Ryan gasping for air. He was losing it, Marissa cradled him in her amrs as Seth sobbed in the arms of Summer.

Ryan released himself from Marissa and pulled Kirsten into his arms who was crying softly against the wall.

"Why?" she whispered in his ear "Why?" she begged him to give her a reason.

Ryan stared at the wall trying to hold back the tears, he finally gave up and buried his head in Kirsten shoulder and cried. He cried for Sandy, his savior, his mentor, his father.

**So, that's a start. Let me know if I should continue or not. I think it has potential to be a great story. I want to base this story on the Cohen's trying to rebuild without Sandy to hold them up. Kirsten in still recovering and Seth and Ryan are just kids. Please send feedback...Thanks!**

**Britt**


	2. The Aftermath

**Authors Note: Thanks for all the reviews. I appreciate some of the suggestions that you made and I decided to use a couple of them. Please continue to read and review. Just a warning for this chapter…lots of tissues may be needed. Thanks!**

**Chapter 2**

_The Aftermath_

Seth entered his father's room cautiously and stopped dead in his tracks at the site of his lifeless father. Keeping some distance between himself and his father's body, he cried into his hands. He lifted his head and looked at Sandy briefly.

"I'm sorry dad" Seth whispered "I just can't do this" he sobbed turning from his father and stopping dead in his foot steps. He turned to face a lifeless Sandy again "I love you dad"

He turned back away and walked into the corridor where Ryan was.

"It's your turn" Seth whispered

Ryan looked frightened and this surprised Seth. Ryan was never scared. Ryan nodded and headed into Sandy's room.

"Mom" Seth asked as he stood in the door frame of the waiting room.

Kirsten looked up "What is it?"

"Umm…I just…ahh…said good bye and Ryan's in there right now. Do you want to say good bye?" Seth asked his voice cracking

Kirsten nodded "I have to" she whispered

Seth nodded as she walked past him. He walked over to the seat his mother had just vacated and sat down and placed his head in hands.

"Uhh…hi" Ryan whispered as he stared intently at Sandy's dead body.

"I hope you can hear me" Ryan whispered "You did so much for me Sandy, you and your family. You were my friend when I had none and my father when I needed one. You might have only been in my life for two years, but they were the best of my life even when I was getting lectures" Ryan smiled slightly.

"Thank you for everything" Ryan whispered the smile falling from his face "I promise to do what ever I can to help Seth and Kirsten. This is going to be a difficult battle, but I'll fight Sandy and I'll help Kirsten and Seth fight too"

Tears slid from his eyes and he wiped at them furiously "I love you Sandy"

Ryan slowly closed the little amount of distance between himself and Sandy. He placed his hand on top of Sandy's cold hand. "I know Seth, couldn't say good bye, I know he couldn't handle it. He loves you so much. You're the best, we all love you Sandy…bye...dad"

Ryan turned from Sandy and left the room.

Ryan entered the waiting room cautiously taking a seat next to Seth, he looked at him.

"You okay?" Ryan asked placing a hand on Seth's shoulder

Seth nodded "Grandpa, three months ago and now dad" Seth sobbed

"I can't believe this is happening" Ryan whispered as Seth looked up at him with tears in his eyes.

"Can't we just wake up" Seth begged looking at Ryan

Ryan shook his head trying to hold the tears in "If it were only that simple"

The tears slid down Kirsten's cheeks as she entered the room where Sandy lay motionless. She approached his side as the sobs came full on. He was so pale.

"Oh baby" Kirsten whispered as she grabbed a hold of his ice cold hand.

"What am I going to do?" she whispered "What are the boys and I going to do without you?"

"Sandy" Kirsten sobbed "You were always the glue that held everything together. I use to be too stubborn to admit it, but it's true. I don't even know where to begin. I don't know how to hold our family together" she whispered ashamed

She dropped his hand "I love you always" with that she turned and headed back to the waiting room. Then she saw it, her boys, they were falling apart more than ever. Turning her back on them she walked farther away from the waiting room and out of the hospital. She could barely hold herself together, never mind the boys.

The blonde smirked as she watched Kirsten turn her back on the boys. Peering in at the boys, her heart broke for them. Thank god she would be there to pick up the pieces for her dear Sandy. Turning from the boys she entered Sandy's room. She smiled at his lifeless body as she entered.

"Such an amazing man" she whispered "Too bad you had to get in the middle"

**So, there is the second chapter. Please guys, let me know what you think okay. Read and review as always!**

**Britt**


	3. We Need You

Authors Note: First off, thank you for all the reviews. I got quite a few questions referring to the "blonde" at the end of the last chapter. I'll give you a few hints, Kirsten had just walked out of the hospital after saying good bye to Sandy. Now, think about this season of the OC, season three. Hopefully, everyone gets the picture now. Anyways, please if you read the story, please review. I only got ten reviews for the first two chapters and I guess I'm a little disappointed. If no one is interested in my story then I really have no reason to continue. So, please if you do read my story, please review. Thanks!

**Chapter 3**

_We Need You_

The blonde smirked as she watched Kirsten turn her back on the boys. Peering in at the boys, her heart broke for them. Thank god she would be there to pick up the pieces for her dear Sandy. Turning from the boys she entered Sandy's room. She smiled at his lifeless body as she entered.

"Such an amazing man" she whispered "Too bad you had to get in the middle"

"Excuse me?" the nurse asked entering Sandy's room and staring at the blonde "Who are you?"

"Just an old friend" the blonde told her

"Oh, well I'm sorry, but only immediate family is allowed in here to say their farewells to Mr. Cohen. I was told that his sons and wife both said good bye and to take him down to the morgue, so" the nurse told the blonde

"Of course, I'm sorry. I'll be leaving now" the blonde answered and smiled at the nurse as she walked past her. She headed back towards the waiting room and frowned when she found the boys gone. Heading to the nurse's desk, she smiled at the first nurse she found.

"Excuse me, the boys that were just in the waiting room right there. Where did they go?" the blonde asked

"The Cohen kids?" the nurse questioned and the blonde nodded "I believe they left the hospital, their mom left minutes before them"

The blonde nodded "Thanks" with that she was on her way to her new home.

---

"Mom" Seth called as he and Ryan entered their house

"Kirsten" Ryan called following in suit "Maybe she had to do something else for Sandy"

Seth nodded, worry evident on his face "I just thought she would be with us right now"

Ryan nodded "I'm sure she'll be home soon"

_Knock On Door_

Ryan headed a few steps back to the door to open it and Seth watched as Ryan opened the door to reveal a blonde woman.

"Can I help you?" Ryan asked

"Ryan" the woman spoke lovingly "How are you doing?"

Ryan eyed the woman curiously "I'm okay, who are you?"

The woman ignored Ryan's question and entered the house and walked over to Seth. "How are you holding up Seth?"

"Excuse me?" Seth asked confused

"How are you doing with everything?" the woman rephrased

"Listen no offense lady, but who the hell are you?" Ryan questioned seeing as Seth was still in a state of shock.

"Oh" the woman said taken back by Ryan's voice "I'm sorry I should have explained. I'm a friend of your mom's from rehab, I heard what happened and figured I should come see how she's doing"

"How did you know our names?" Seth asked

"Well" the woman smiled "Your mom had a picture of you guys at Christmas time and she use to tell me stories about her boys, Ryan and Seth"

Ryan nodded "Who are you?"

"Charlotte" the woman stated simply "So"

Ryan stared at this woman. Their was definitely something off with her.

"Is your mom home?" Charlotte asked knowing the answer already

Seth shook his head "No, I think she had to do a few more things for…dad"

"Oh" Charlotte sighed sympathetically "I'm so sorry for your loss boys, I can only imagine"

"Is your dad still alive?" Seth asked

"Afraid not" Charlotte answered simply "But when my father died, I could have cared less. He was never a part of my life"

"What do you mean?" Ryan asked he still didn't like this woman

"He and my mom divorced when I was three. He left town and moved a thousand miles away and I never saw him. I got a card on my birthday and a card on Christmas and that was all I ever heard from him" she stated simply

"That must have been hard" Seth told her "My dad was never like that. He was the best dad anyone could've ever asked for. If you had asked me that yesterday, I might not have said the same thing. I'm so stupid, getting mad at him just for trying to do what he thought was right"

Seth was on the verge of tears and Charlotte gave him a sympathetic look.

"Look, I think you should go. I'll let Kirsten know you stopped by" Ryan said heading for the door.

"Couldn't I just wait for her?" Charlotte asked

"Sure" Seth spoke quickly

"I don't know Seth, It's late and we should probably be going to bed" Ryan suggested

"Yeah, I'm beat" Seth agreed "But you're welcome to wait for mom down here. Help yourself"

"Seth" Ryan warned knowing it was a bad idea.

"If it's not too much trouble" Charlotte smiled

Seth shook his head "Ryan's just not good with strangers. Good night"

Seth headed upstairs and Ryan shook his head as he headed out to the pool house. He knew letting a stranger stay in the house was a bad idea, but Seth was clueless sometimes"

_Two Hours Later_

Charlotte was pouring herself a glass of water when she heard the front door open. She saw Kirsten enter the house and tip toe upstairs with a bag in her hand. Charlotte quietly followed her upstairs. Kirsten was rummaging around in her room when Seth opened his door and headed towards his mothers room. He obviously had heard her.

"Mom" Seth asked as he watched his mother throw clothes into an open suitcase "Mom" Seth yelled finally getting her attention.

She turned towards Seth and sighed "Go back to bed Seth"

"Where are you going?" Seth questioned

"I have to leave" Kirsten stated simply

"What?" Seth asked bewildered "How can you leave?"

"I can't be here anymore Seth, I don't belong here" Kirsten told him

"What do you mean you don't belong here" Seth asked "You're our mother and we need you now more than anything"

"I can't be your mom anymore Seth, I'll only fail you again" Kirsten sobbed shutting her suitcase and facing Seth.

The tears were now threatening to fall from Seth's eyelids too. "How did you fail mom?"

"Your father is dead" Kirsten whispered

"That is not your fault. You couldn't have stopped what happened to dad" Seth yelled

"It was my duty to protect this family Seth. Julie called and your dad didn't want to go because he felt Julie didn't deserve his help after what she pulled. I talked him into it, I am the reason he went to Riverside and I'm the reason he's dead" Kirsten told him the tears falling even harder now.

"You only wanted to help, it's not your fault" Seth told her

Kirsten shook her head and turned and grabbed her suitcase as she walked past her son and stopped when she ran into Charlotte.

"Charlotte?" Kirsten questioned the smiling woman

Kirsten walked around her and headed down the stairs. Ryan grabbed the bag from her other hand as she walked down the end of the stairs.

"Where did you come from?" Kirsten asked

Ryan opened the bag and pulled out a handle of Vodka as Seth bounded down the stairs.

"Kirsten what are doing?" Ryan asked "Where are you going?"

"I can't be here anymore Ryan, I have failed. I failed Sandy, I failed you and Seth and I failed this family" Kirsten told him

"No" Ryan stated firmly "You haven't failed us"

"Seth will fill you in" Kirsten stated

"You can't leave Kirsten. We just lost Sandy, we can't lose our mother too. We need you, we all need each other" Ryan told her in a begging tone "Please"

"I can't help you" Kirsten whispered "I can only hurt you worse"

Ryan shook his head furiously "Please"

"Oh Ryan, I love you so much and Seth too" she whispered turning from Seth to Ryan "But I am the reason your father is gone and you two are better off without me. That is the truth. I'm sorry"

Ryan felt his world falling as he watched her take the bottle of liquor from his hands and turn her back on them. His father was gone, and now his mother too. All he had left was Seth, and surely Seth would leave next. Why did everyone always leave him? Did he have some kind of curse, or was he just meant to never have anyone to love him.

**I hope you liked it. I can't beg much more, but please if you read, review it. Anyways, as always please read and review. Thanks!**

**Britt**


	4. Author's Ending Note

Authors Note: Hey Everyone, I was really unsure of where to take this story and it didn't seem to be too popular, so I've decided to end it with chapter three. I hope no one hates me, but I really didn't know where to take it. I'm sorry!

Britt


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